It is reported that Makkan Polytheists like Walid bin Mughira, Abu Jahl, A'as bin Wail, Aas bin Hisham, Aswad bin Yaghus, Aswad bin Muttalib, Zama bin Aswad, Nadr bin Harith, etc., demanded the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) saying that 'If you are a true Prophet of Allah then split the moon in half. Let it be in such a way that one half will appear over Mount Abu Qubais and the other half will be seen over Mount Quayqian.' The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) asked them, 'if I do that, will you accept Islam'. They said 'Yes, we will.' Then on the following 14th night moon, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) called all the people of Quraish polytheists and asked them to bear witness to it. He stood at an elevated place for all people to see him, looked at the Moon, raised his finger and gestured towards it, and Moon got split into two, and its two halves were seen on the Mounts as requested by the polytheists. Once everyone had seen it, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) raised his finger and gestured again. The two halves came together and joined again.

It is in Hadith -It is narrated on the authority of Anas bin Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) who said that 'the people of Makkah asked the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) to produce a miracle, and he showed them the splitting of the moon into two parts, until they saw (the mount of) Hira between them.' (Bukhari, Muslim and others)

It is in Hadith - It is narrated on the authority of Jubair bin Mut'im (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) who said that the moon was split into two during the time of Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم); a part of the moon was over one mountain and another part over another mountain. So they said, (Prophet) Mohammad (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) has taken us by his magic.' They then said, `If he was able to take us by magic, he will not be able to do so with all (other) people.' (Musnad Ahmad, Baihaqi in Dalail.)

When this miracle was witnessed by the Quraish, some said that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) has caused a spell on them. Some others were confused as they thought, if the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) had cast a spell on the crowed gathered, then 'let us ask some wayfarers who came to Makka the following day if they had seen two halfs of the moon at night'. They did that and it was confirmed by some wayfarers who happened to see that miracle on their way. After this, the Polytheists started claiming that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) had cast his spell on the sky itself so that whoever in the world looked up, he saw the moon got split into two that night.

The miracles performed by the Prophets are not required to be proven by any means, scientific or otherwise since it is the work of Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ). Like the splitting of the water of the Ocean and Musa (عليه السلام) and the children of Israel crossing it on their foot cannot be explained scientifically.

However, modern day space scientists who are associated with the spacecrafts sent to the Moon, confirm that they found a ‘Belt of Rocks’ in the moon that goes from its outer surface to its inner depths. The geologists associated with these space programs in different countries consider that the rocks on the belt are probably the result of the impact during the time when the two halves of the moon may have split and joined together again.

Juz 27, Al-Qamar, Verse 003

وَكَذَّبُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَكُلُّ أَمْرٍ مُسْتَقِرٌّ[ They rejected (the truth), and followed their own whims. All matters will (surely) come to conclusion (at the appropriate time).]

Juz 27, Al-Qamar, Verse 004

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنَ الْأَنْبَاءِ مَا فِيهِ مُزْدَجَرٌ[ Stories (of the punishment to earlier people) to warn them have already come, that should have restrained them. ]

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآَنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِنْ مُدَّكِرٍ[ And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember, and is there anyone who will remember (and benefit from it)? ]

Juz 27, Al-Qamar, Verse 023

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِالنُّذُرِ[ The people of Thamud rejected the warnings, ]

Juz 27, Al-Qamar, Verse 024

فَقَالُوا أَبَشَرًا مِنَّا وَاحِدًا نَتَّبِعُهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَفِي ضَلَالٍ وَسُعُرٍ[ saying, 'Are we to follow a man who stands alone among us? That would surely be an error and madness. ]

Juz 27, Al-Qamar, Verse 025

أَءُلْقِيَ الذِّكْرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِنَا بَلْ هُوَ كَذَّابٌ أَشِرٌ[ 'Why should he (Prophet Saleh - عليه السلام) alone from among all of us be chosen to receive the message? He is nothing but a wicked liar.' ]